Respect
by boyblue
Summary: Part 1 - Harry finally get some respect from the Dursleys; Part 2 - Dursley's meet the wizards.
1. Respect - Part 1

Not Slash - sorry - but I though an interesting concept. Hope that's not a problem. The seed is planted for the Dursley's to give Harry some respect.  
  
Title: Respect  
Author: boyblue  
E-mail: ----  
Disclaimers:   
All characters, terms, names, trademarks, and settings, whether implied or stated, are the sole property of J.K. Rowlings with distribution and marketing rights held by Warner Brothers, and Scholastic, Inc publishing.  
  
Spoilers: none - pure fiction  
Date: 1/2/2002  
Summary: A chance meeting in a department store plants the   
seed for the Durley's gaining respect for Harry.  
  
Warnings: Not really slash, more like a cool thought.  
Archive: yes  
  
Notes:   
Not really slash, but I envison that there will be a time when the Dursley will have to give Harry some respect. This is just one scenario that could plant the seed for that to happen. Plus, I think another funny story, would be the Dursley's visiting the Leaky Cauldron.   
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
Respect [1/1]  
  
The Dursley's were out shopping, it was time for Dudley to buy all new cloths. This was a fairly common occurance. Since Dudley gained weight so fast, he was constantly in need of new cloths. Although, this time it wasn't because Dudley had gotten wider, rather that Dudley had finally started to grow and was getting taller. Dudley didn't really need new cloths, he could have gotten by with what he had for a while longer, but Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia like to indulge Dudley, so they were happy to take him shopping. However, they were not happy to bring Harry along. They made it very clear that he was to expect nothing, and he was not to cause any trouble. Uncle Vernon had warned him sternly, that he would not tolerate even the slightest upset in Dudley day of shopping. If Harry even cause a floorboard to creak, he wouldn't see the outside of his room until he had grey hair.   
  
Harry had heard it all before, for years Uncle Vernon had been pounding him with the same routine. Harry had in memorized. Truth was, Harry would have preferred to stay home, but the Dursleys didn't trust him. They were sure if they left him alone, there would be nothing left of their house but soot and cinders. Although, Harry had never done anything to justify those thoughts.   
  
Harry was used to it, he just tagged along and stayed out of the way. He amused himself by chuckling under his breath, as nearly everything that fat Dudley tried on was too small.   
  
"My stars, Mr. Potter", a voice called out. Harry didn't think this was a good sign. Only a wizard would call him Mr. Potter.  
  
"Mr. Potter", the voice called out again. Harry and the Dursleys turn toward the voice. Uncle Vernon look decidedly displeased at the interuption.   
  
"Tom, what are you doing here?", Harry said. He notice the expression on Tom's face drop slightly. "Oh, it good to see you Tom, very good to see you, but who's minding the store." It was Tom, the proprietor of the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
"Mr. Potter, it is so good to see you again, You haven't stopped by in a long time. I'm here with my daughter and granddaughter. The little dear is growing so fast, I thought I better spend some time with her before she's all grown up. Although, I left the shop in the hand of my lazy good for nothing brother. He'll probably rob me blind and burn the place to the ground. Oh, I kid, he's not really that bad, I just worry about him. Oh well, it's a pleasant afternoon with my graddaughter."  
  
Uncle Vernon was scowling. Harry thought that no good could come of this. "Who are you, and why do you keep calling my nephew Mr. Potter. His name is Harry."  
  
"Ah yes, the name's Tom, proprietor of the Leaky Cauldron."  
  
"Leaky Cauldron? What kind of place is that?", Uncle Vernon snorted.  
  
"Oh, I run an inn in London.", Tom replied.  
  
"An inn? Does it do well?", Uncle Vernon asks.  
  
Great wizards, Uncle Vernon is talking to a wizard. Harry is desparately looking around the room, for anyone who might be willing to slap him in the face and wake him from this nightmare.   
  
"Oh yes, hardly a person comes to London who doesn't stop at the Leaky Cauldron.", Tom assures Uncle Vernon.  
  
'Nightmare, nightmare, ... someone, please, slap me now before it's too late', Harry mind cries out. Harry wondered if Uncle Vernon knew that Tom meant hardly a 'wizard person'.   
  
Still looking very gruff, Uncle Vernon pulled back his shoulders and puffed out his chest. "Vernon Dursley, Grunning's Drill Company."   
  
Great wizards, living and dead, Uncle Vernon is going to shake hands with a wizard. Apprently, Uncle Vernon put some stock in Tom being a sucessfull business man.  
  
They shook hands in a very dignified business fashion. "He's just a boy, why do you call him Mr. Potter."  
  
"Well, one must show the proper respect, of course. He is Harry Potter. ", Tom replied.  
  
"Your a gentleman, he's just a kid?", Uncle Vernon, still not satisfied.  
  
Tom chuckled and grinned, "He's Harry Potter." "Harry Potter!", Tom said with emphasis as if it were so simple even a child would know. "He's the most famous wizard in Britain."  
  
"Famous? What do you mean famous? He's a boy.", Uncle Vernon asked seeming to grow quite irritated.  
  
"He's a boy.", Tom is almost laughing now. "He's not 'a boy', he's THE boy. The boy who lived. He might even be the most famous wizard in the world. There isn't a man, woman, or child who doesn't know his story. I'm surprised he doesn't have his own action figure."  
  
'Oh CRAP!' Harry thougth, 'that's all I need to make my miserable life complete, a Harry Potter action figure. CRAP! Where is Voldemort when I need him? Come on Voldemort, where are you? Curse me, kill me, turn me into a toad, just get me out of this nightmare.'  
  
"Still sounds like nonsense to me." Uncle Vernon grumble.  
  
"Mildred, Margret.... over heard .... I want to introduce you to someone.", Tom calls to a woman and girl over at the perfume counter. As the woman and girl walk over, Tom turned back to Harry and Uncle Vernon and said, "My daughter and granddaughter."  
  
They stop along side Tom, and the shy little girl, about 6 years old, stays half hidden behind her mother. "Maggie, do you know who this is?"  
  
OK, Harry knew the routine, he's been throught it a thousand times before. He figured he would make it easy and save a little time. Harry took his hand and lifted the hair off his forehead. The little girl was shocked, she hid completely behind her mother. She even pulled her mother's skirt out to the side to make sure she is completely hidden. Harry let his hair fall back on his face.  
  
"Come on Maggie, don't be shy, he's my friend." Tom coaxes her. "Who is this gentleman?"  
  
A little tuft of hair and an eye peek out from behind the skirt. "It's Harry Potter", the little girl says softly.   
  
"Well, don't be shy, shake his hand." Tom coaxes. The little girl slowly crept out from behind her mother, her eyes fixed on the floor, she steps toward Harry. She looked up and extend her hand to Harry, "Hello, Mr. Potter".  
  
"Hello, Maggie, a pleasure", Harry replied with a slight bow as he shook her hand. The littel girl immediately ran back and hid behind her mother, practically wrapping herself in her mother's skirt.  
  
"Well, Mr. Potter, we must be on our way. Pleasure to see you again. We'll see you next time you're in London, I trust. And Mr. Dursley, a pleasure. If your ever in London, stop by for a butterbeer, or something stronger if your of mind."   
  
Tom, his daughter and the little girl walked away. When they were about 20 feet away, the little girl started tugging on her mother's skirt, "Mom! Mom, did you see him? Did you see him? It was Harry Potter. I saw his scar. Look, he shook my hand." The little girl held up her hand. "Wait 'til everyone finds out." Tom turned back and smiled at Harry.  
  
"Well Mr. Potter, I think you've wasted quite enough of our time. The days practically wasted. Come Petunia. Come Dudley. We can't waste our time standing here all day."  
  
Harry couldn't help but feel a little smug as he trail along behind. Uncle Vernon called him 'Mr. Potter' to mock him, and there was a mocking tone is his voice. But Harry noted that the usual enthusiasm wasn't there. For the rest of the day, when ever Uncle Vernon spoke to him, he referred to him as 'Mr. Potter'. Uncle Vernon was still trying to mock him, but he noticed that as the day wore on, the mocking tone in Uncle Vernon voice decreased. Although, he was very sure that it wasn't intentional on Uncle Vernon's part.   
  
The day ended, Dudley had his new cloths, and they were back at Uncle Vernon's car. As Harry was getting in, Uncle Vernon said, "Mr. Potter, I believe next time we're in London, we'll visit that gentleman's shop."  
  
'OH! GREAT!' Harry thought, 'now there's another nightmare just waiting to happen.' 


	2. Respect - Part 2 - Chapt 1

Title: Respect - Part 2  
Author: BBoy_mn  
E-mail: ----  
Disclaimers:   
All characters, terms, names, trademarks, and settings, whether implied or stated, are the sole property of J.K. Rowlings with distribution and marketing rights held by Warner Brothers, and Scholastic, Inc publishing.  
  
Spoilers: Part 2 has some references to the Chess game in Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone.  
  
Date: 7/21/2002  
Summary: Part 1 -A chance meeting in a department store plants the seed for the Durley's gaining respect for Harry.  
Part 2 - As a result of the meeting in the department store, the Dursley finally come face to face with the wizard world. It is a sweet treat indeed.  
  
Warnings: None - probably not ideal for children under 12. Subtly and delicately mentions French kissing and uses the word 'hell' a couple of times.  
  
Notes:   
Part 1 - I envision that there will be a time when the Dursley will have to give Harry some respect. This is just one scenario that could plant the seed for that to happen.   
Part 2 - Plus, I think another funny story, would be the Dursley's visiting the Leaky Cauldron.   
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
Respect [Chapter 1 of 4 + Epilog - Part 2 of 2]  
  
  
Respect - Part 2 - Chapter 1  
  
Things had been strange in the Dursley's house since the day they met Tom, the proprietor of the Leaky Cauldron, at the muggle department store. Uncle Vernon continued to call Harry, 'Mr. Potter'. Although, all traces of mocking had gone from his voice. It was just routine now, like Aunt Petunia calling Dudley, Dudlikins. Uncle Vernon had become more irritated with Dudley's manners and constant demands, and was indulging him less. Of course, sweet Dudley was still their pride and joy, nothing could change that. They were treating Harry differently too. Not that it was any more pleasant for Harry to live there, but at least they talked to him, and sometimes even engaged him in civil conversation.  
  
A few weeks later, on a Saturday, Uncle Vernon decided it was a great day to take drive into London for a little shopping and a nice dinner. A plan which, much to Harry's surprise, included him. Harry thought a day without the Durley's would be more pleasant, but nice ride in the car and a few hours laughing as Dudley struggle to find clothes that would fit him, might be nice too. A nice drive, a few laughs, it seemed like a good idea until Uncle Vernon insisted on visiting Tom at the Leaky Cauldron.   
  
Harry sputtered and stammered as he tried to explain to Uncle Vernon why this wasn't such a good idea. Uncle Vernon waved him away, apparently convinced that being businessmen gave him and Tom some special kinship.   
  
Next thing Harry knew, he was in the car on his way to London. Normally, Harry liked to ride in the car. He didn't get to do it very often, but when he did, he like to look out at all the people and places, and wonder about them. Who they were? How they lived? Did they have fun? Did any of them have a dark wizard trying to kill them? Today, Harry sat in the back seat with his forehead pressed to the window. Sitting motionless, his eyes blankly fixed in the distance, he could feel the blood surge through his body as his heart pounded, and a wave of heat rose up from under his collar. The beautiful grass and trees of London's suburbs that Harry usually watched as they drove, had melded into a indistinguishable blur of greens and browns.  
  
'Voldemort.... Where are you when I need you?', Harry thought. Dying from a fast and painless death curse had to be better then the torturous nightmare that was ahead of him. Also, facing Voldemort was probably a lot safer than Uncle Vernon facing the wizard world. Disastrous. Calamitous. Cataclysmic. These were the words that ran through his head over and over. Although he wasn't quite sure what calamitous was, he was pretty sure he would find out before the day was over. What was he going to do? This really was cataclysmic. If this blew up in his face, if Uncle Vernon suddenly remembered he hated wizards, assuming the world survived at all, it would probably take the Ministry of Magic months, maybe years, to get everything sorted out. 'I wonder, if I use magic to stop Uncle Vernon, would the Ministry hold it against me? I'd be doing us all a big favor.'  
  
'Voldemort..... What a pathetic dark wizard', he certainly was a pathetic wizard if he didn't take advantage of this situation. Wait a minute, what if this was some evil plot by Voldemort? What if he's cast a spell on Uncle Vernon, and is going to use the ensuing chaos to take over the world? Harry's eyes brightened and a small smile crept onto his face. That would mean he could curse Uncle Vernon; he could curse Uncle Vernon and it would be OK because he was saving the world from Voldemort. Harry's smile suddenly dropped, even he didn't believe that wild story. He knew he had to do something, to keep this from turn into.... into... into.... the end of the world as we know it. OH ALRIGHT! It wasn't that bad, but his mind wasn't exactly working at full capacity. He was right though, he had to do something to try and control this situation. Although, he knew he couldn't start with a magic solution; if it came down to it, he wasn't ruling it out. He would just have to hope the Ministry understood.  
  
Harry sat up straight and took a deep breath then slumped and looked out the window. According to Uncle Vernon, he wasn't suppose to even talk about wizards, that certain wasn't going to help this conversation. Bolstered by new resolve, he sat up again and took a breath to speak, then exhaled and slumped forward. He shook his head and sat up again, he had no choice, he had to do it.  
  
"Uncle Vernon?", Harry said in a voice much louder that he intended. So loud that he startled himself and his mind went blank.   
  
"Mr. Potter? What is it? Out with it." Uncle Vernon insisted.  
  
"Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, Dudley....... I want to make sure you understand what you are getting yourself into. You do understand the Tom.... Tom.... Tom is a wiz.... he's not like... he more...."  
  
"Oh Mr. Potter, just say it. That has to be better that listening to you muttering on." Uncle Vernon looked at Harry in the rear view mirror. His look was stern, but he didn't seem angry.  
  
"Uncle Vernon, Aunt... everyone, you understand that Tom is a wizard, the Leaky Cauldron is a wizard's inn. It's going to be all wizards in the Leaky Cauldron; all wizards. Well, it's not impossible for another.... another.... mug... ahhh... regular person to be in there but it extremely unlikely."  
  
Harry saw Uncle Vernon glanced at him in the mirror again. He didn't understand it, but Uncle Vernon looked quite calm. "Mr. Potter, since it was Tom who started this 'Mr. Potter' business, and he knew you were a.... wizard, and...... allegedly a famous.... wizard, what else could I conclude. Tom seemed like a fine man, a bit funny looking, but reasonably dress. Certainly wasn't in some strange purple robe flying around on a broom or whatever it is you people do. The man may be a.... wizard but the man has to have a sharp mind and good instincts to run a successful business. A successful business man certainly can't spend all his time with this.... funny business. Got to admire a good business man."   
  
Harry slouched and quietly gaze out the window. OK; Uncle Vernon had just said 'wizard' more times in the last two minutes than he had probably said the word in his entire life. ....Nightmare! Nightmare!.... Obviously, Harry lead a cursed life, first Voldemort, now Uncle Vernon meets the wizard world; it had to be a cursed life. Well, just like all his other battles, Harry had no choice but to fight it to the end, and accept whatever happened. Although, fighting Voldemort was suddenly not looking so bad to him.  
  
"Uncle Vernon, you need to understand that it will be all wizards. It's important that you understand that because, it could be.... could be.... ....ahhhh.... hazardous.... you know... if something were to go..... you know..... wrong. These are very tolerant people, but you are intruding on their world. These are also very powerful people, and....   
  
'Oh please Voldemort, kill me now. Someone, anyone, make this nightmare end. By Merlin's ghost, I'm begging for someone to make this nightmare end.' Harry squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his fingertips across his forehead.  
  
"They are very powerful people, and any offense or confrontation could have.... dire....  
  
Harry shook his head slowly as he continued to rub his forehead. He had a headache, but that pain was nothing compared to what he saw ahead of him. This damn cursed life.  
  
"Any problem could result in dire consequences."  
  
"That reminds me", Uncle Vernon's voice suddenly boomed. Harry half hope Uncle Vernon would get mad at him and take everyone home. "Dudley! I've been meaning to talk to you. I swear I don't know what they are teaching you at that fancy school but it certainly isn't manners. I'm warning you to be on your best behavior. Don't you DARE embarrass me in front of these people. We may be mugg.... regular people but we are nothing if we are not civilized and well mannered. Petunia, I'm assuming I can count on you."  
  
"Well, I think you've taken leave of your senses" Aunt Petunia frowned, "but I've never let you down before. If you insist on this madness, then I'll just have to go along with it. Honestly, meeting these..... strange people."  
  
"Now Petunia, we are just going to some fancy inn for some refreshments. It's not like we are inviting them all to tea." Uncle Vernon smile and nudged Aunt Petunia gently.  
  
'Oh swell... That's just swell... perfectly delightful...' Harry's weary head hung low. Uncle Vernon thinks we are going to a fancy modern London hotel. 'What did I do to deserve all this? Whatever it was, I'm sorry. Now can this madness finally end?' Just keep going; Harry told himself, who knows maybe he'll get stuck by lightening or something. Once glance at the clear blue sky told him not to count on that.  
  
"...ahhh... Uncle Vernon, you understand that the Leaky Cauldron is very old. It's a very old historic inn. Ollvander's is something like 700 years old, so I'm assuming that Tom's place is about the same. That's just the time that it's been the Leaky Cauldron. The building might have been there for a thousand years or more. So this isn't a big fancy hotel; it's a very small quaint historic inn." Harry felt very tired. Right then he found himself wishing he could lay down on the floor of the car and sleep through this whole nightmare. He huffed slightly, which was about as close to a laugh as he could get, as he pondered the irony of going to sleep to escape a nightmare. It's not like anything else in his life ever made sense, why should this?   
  
"Well", Uncle Vernon smiled. Something that Harry noted was a very rare occurrence, "then we are in for a real treat. A thousand years old, that should be a sight to see."  
  
'Somebody shoot me now. Shoot me now and end this'. Harry knew it was a lost cause. He was doomed; just like he always was. The Dursley's were going to meet the wizard world and there was nothing he could do about it. Still he could curse them. The Ministry would have to understand; it was an emergency. Who was he kidding, nothing in his life was every that easy; he was doomed and he knew it.  
  
They arrived in London and went shopping briefly, but the anticipation; for the Dursleys, the anticipation of a unique experience, for Harry, the anticipation of utter doom, was too much for all of them. Harry gave Uncle Vernon the directions to the general neighborhood, and they drove around until the found a parking garage nearby. As Harry lead them down the streets, he slowed or paused at shops here and there; shops he had absolutely no interest in. He just hoped if he delayed long enough they would lose interest. Not bloody likely though.   
  
Harry knew he couldn't delay any longer, so he walked past the record store on Charing Cross Road, stopped, and turned to the Dursleys.  
  
There was no time for self-pity now; it was time to switch to combat mode. Time to focus on the dangers at hand.  
  
"Well, we're here. This is your last chance. Give this very serious consideration. This is not to be taken lightly. I warn you again, that the potential exits for any offense or misconduct to have hazardous consequences." Harry stood firm and glared at them through narrowed eyes.   
  
"Dudley! Remember what I told you. Don't you dare embarrass us in front of these people. I want them to see the we are refined civilized well manner people; proper people. Do you understand Dudley?" Uncle Vernon leaned in Dudley's direction, lowered his head, and fixed Dudley in a stern gaze.  
  
Uncle Vernon turned to Harry smiled and rubbed his hands together. "Well, where do we go? Where is it then?"  
  
Harry stood tall, this was no time to be slouching in the back seat of the Dursley's car; they were entering his world now, and Harry stood strong, drawn up to the full statue of the powerful wizard he was. "You're standing right in front of it."  
  
The Dursley's all frowned, wrinkled their brows and looked around. Uncle Vernon turn to Harry, "Where is it then? Is it on the second level?"  
  
Suddenly, Uncle Vernon didn't look so intimidating. "I mean you are literally standing right in front of it. It's right behind me; ground floor. This is a magic place, you can't see it because you are muggles, muggles allow themselves to become clouded. They don't look properly. They only see what they are willing to see. I'm going to turn and walk in. I suggest you stay close behind me if you don't want to get lost."  
  
Harry turned sharply and walk toward the front door of the Leaky Cauldron, half hoping the Dursley's would hesitate and get left behind. As he walked in the front door, he turned and saw the bewildered Dursley's in a tight formation behind him. As soon as he step beyond the end of the short entry hall, Tom came out from behind the bar to greet them. Tom was a short wizard, nearly bald, always with a wide smile that was missing a few teeth, dress like most barkeepers, dark trousers, large white apron, and a dark vest over a white shirt.  
  
"Well Mr. Potter, you finally came for a visit, and I see you've brought your family with you." Tom shook Harry's hand then turned to each of the Dursley's, shook their hands and bowed. "Mr. Dursley I believe, and your lovely wife, and this must be Dudley. I've heard about you."  
  
OK, let's go down the list. First, this is total insanity. Second, this is the first time the Dursely's had every stood along side Harry as his family. Third, when Dudley discovered he already had a reputation in the magic world, the grin dropped from his face faster than a stone in a lake, his face turned red, and he slowly slipped behind his father. It was kind of funny in a way, because wizard people really didn't know that much about the Dursley's. Harry assumed, Tom was playing a game similar to the one he played in the department store. His own little game aimed at getting Harry some respect. And fourth, did I mention that this was total insanity.   
  
The Leaky Cauldron was like most British pubs, small and cozy with a warm friendly atmosphere, white plaster walls slightly yellow and a bit soiled with age, a wooden floor that at one time had probably been very attractively stained and finished, but over the many years and possibly centuries, it was worn down to bare wood that was grey with age. Around the edges, dark hardwood trim along the ceiling and floor, equally dark slightly rough hardwood beams crossed the ceiling, and a dark wooden bar that while small still appeared massive. The atmosphere was like any English pub, people of all ages and types, witches, wizard, hags, warlock, and assorted people of undeterminable nature chatted in friendly voices punctuated periodically by laughter.   
  
"Tom, how about the table in the corner by the window? The one near the fireplace. Let's start with four butterbeers." Tom nodded as Harry began to lead the Dursley's toward their table. Harry realized that he had been pretty bold when they were out front, but now that they were inside, and the potential for disaster was very real, he decided it was best to be a little more diplomatic. As they passed the bar, several people nodded and smiled politely, Harry nodded back. Then from behind a group of men at the bar, step a very short wizard in a bright purple tailcoat and oversized purple top hat.  
  
"Mr. Potter, always a pleasure.", the bright smiling wizard extended his hand into a hardy handshake.  
  
Uncle Vernon frowned and narrowed his eyes, although Harry didn't get the sense that anything was wrong. Uncle Vernon seemed puzzled more that anything. "Sir, you look familiar. Have we ever met?"  
  
"Uncle Vernon, this is a good friend and one of the first people to welcome me into magic world; Dedalus Diggle. This is the man who bowed to me in a shop that one day; you remember that don't you? That was Mr. Diggle."  
  
"Mr. Potter", a sharp raspy high pitched voice cried from across the room. An old witch with wrinkled leathery skin, stoop shouldered and dressed in black robes hobbled over and pumped Harry's hand vigorously. When ever Harry came here, Doris never let him get out without shaking his hand several times. "Welcome Mr. Potter, welcome. Always so delighted to see you. Where have you been, it's been ages." As she spoke, the witch continued to pump Harry's hand.  
  
Harry had to think for a second, before her name came to him. "Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, this is Doris Crockford. Madam Crockford has always been very kind to me." The witch bowed deeply in the Dursley's direction, still shaking Harry's hand.  
  
"Now... now... shoo... Off you go. Off you go. Give Mr. Potter some peace, he's here with his family." Tom hurried out from behind the bar, shooed all the well-wishers away, and escorted them to their table.  
  
As they sat down, Uncle Vernon leaned over to Harry. "I'm not sure it's proper for you and Dudley to have.... that beer."  
  
"No... No... Uncle Vernon, it's like root beer. It's a kids drink; no alcohol. You can have something stronger if you like, but I would suggest that you all at least try butterbeer. It's one of my favorites. Nothing like a hot butterbeer on a cold winter day to take the chill out of your bones. Although, today we'll have ours cold. Let's start with four butterbeers Tom, and we'll see where it goes from there." Tom bowed and hurried back to the bar.   
  
Harry noticed Uncle Vernon looking around the room, examining things like the woodwork, the fireplace, the beams in the ceiling, and craning his neck trying to look back behind the bar. "Not sure how old it really is, but it's quite old." Harry explained to Uncle Vernon. "There are private rooms, private meeting and lunch rooms in the back, and upstairs are at least a dozen nice rooms. Small, but very charming. I've stayed here a few times, Tom has always been very good to me, and everyone looks out for me. They are all very nice.... at least to me."  
  
Tom hurried over with a tray of butterbeer and set them around the table, bowed very politely and was off. "Dudley, I swear you are going to love this; it's like liquid candy." Harry took his first drink of butterbeer and smiled at Dudley.  
  
"WOW!", Dudley shouted after his first drink. Uncle Vernon shrunk slightly at Dudley's outburst, and his eyes darted around the room testing peoples reactions. Then he hit Dudley with a gaze so intense, it would have cracked the plaster on the wall if it had missed Dudley. Dudley flinched and recoiled slightly when his father's gaze hit him. Dudley slowly lowered his head and suddenly became very interested in the label on his bottle of butterbeer.  
  
Uncle Vernon took his first sip of butterbeer and smiled. An unusually smile for a hard man like Uncle Vernon, it was soft and seemed to go deep inside him, down to his core. "That is lovely. It reminds me of when Petunia and I were young. We used to go to the ice cream shop every Saturday for butterscotch ice cream sundaes. Petunia try it. I really is lovely."  
  
Uncle Vernon brightened, sat up, and leaned his elbows on that table. "I bet this would really go good with ice cream. Fill a big glass with ice cream and pour this over it. Why that would be heavenly." Lost in his thoughts, Uncle Vernon, smiled softly and eyed his bottle of butterbeer.  
  
"So Dudley what do you think", Harry asked taking another sip of butterbeer.   
  
"Bloody marvelous", Dudley replied in a voice that was a little too loud and demanding. "We should bring 50 liters home with us."   
  
Dudley received another stern look from Uncle Vernon. More likely for saying something as unrefined as 'bloody' than for suggesting 50 liters of butterbeer. Uncle Vernon held his bottle up at eye level, saw that it's about half full, then reached into his coat and retrieved his wallet. He opened the wallet as if making a mental note of how much cash he had with him. When Harry saw the Pound notes inside, he realizes this could be a problem. He had never seen any one spend muggle money in the Leaky Cauldron. Harry wasn't sure that Tom would even take muggle money.  
  
"Please excuse me Uncle Vernon", Harry said, getting to his feet. "I just remembered I must run an errand. It won't take long, it's only half a block away. Can't imagine that I'll be gone more than five minutes. I'll talk with Tom before I go and make sure you get everything you need. Please excuse me." Harry walked to the bar and told Tom that he had to run to the bank to get some money, and to keep supplying his uncle with butterbeers and maybe some snacks, but nothing too unusual. Harry assures Tom that he would pay for everything when he got back.   
  
Harry entered Diagon Alley and broke into a run toward Gringott's bank. As he ran the mantra of 'Dursley's Meet the Wizards' came back to him. 'nightmare!.... nightmare!... the Dursley's are sitting a lone in a wizard's pub. No good can come of this. ...nightmare! ...nightmare!', the words echoed in Harry's head.   
  
Harry felt his heart pounding as he ran up to the front door of Gringott's Bank, although, under the circumstances, he was quite sure his heart would still be pounding even if someone had carried him over. He paused briefly to catch his breath then inhaled deeply, stood up straight, and nodded to the goblin as he bowed Harry through the front door.   
  
As marvelous and impressive as Gringott's Bank was, it still scared the hell out of him, and nothing scared him more than the head goblin. He was a small creature, but he was so deadly serious that you were afraid if you made the slightest mistake, it might be your last. He rushed to the end of the room and stood in front of the head goblin's desk. The head goblin, a fairly ugly creature wearing a very formal emerald green coat, sat at a high desk. It was probably Harry's imagination, but it seemed like no matter how tall you were, the goblin was always looking down on you. He really wasn't sure if this is the person he was suppose to see, but it was the goblin he spoke to when he was here before.  
  
"Excuse me sir. I'm Harry..."  
  
"Potter! Harry Potter. Yes, I know who you are. How can I help you?", the goblin asked, busy scribbling in a large ledger.   
  
  
Harry felt his stomach tighten. Very much like the feeling he got when he had to face a very strict teacher. Harry stammered slightly as he spoke. "....ahhhh... yes sir. I.. I... need some money from my vault, but I'm in a bit of a hurry."  
  
"Very well, how much do you need?", the goblin asked without looking up from his work.  
  
"About 20 or 30 Galleon."   
  
The goblin didn't seem please as he fixed Harry in a cold stare. "Galleons do not come in 20/30 denominations. It's either 20 or it's 30. Make up your mind, I'm very busy."  
  
"Yes sir, 25 then, sir"  
  
"Sign here.", the goblin said sternly as he push a sheet of parchment toward Harry.  
  
Harry stared at the paper. "But it's blank, sir."  
  
"Mr. Potter do you want your money or not?" The goblin stood and leaned forward over his desk. Despite the Goblin not being more than 3 feet tall, Harry felt like a giant was starring down at him. It was like Harry's own body had shrunk down to a foot tall. "I'm a busy man Mr. Potter. I'm only going to say this once. Mr. Potter, I already have all your gold. Now do you want some of it or not."  
  
"Oh yes sir. I'm sorry sir. I didn't mean to imply anything." Harry apologized profusely, signed the paper, and the goblin handed him 25 galleons. Harry back away slowly, bowing and apologizing as he went "Thank you sir. Thank you very much. Sorry to disturb you sir."  
  
For some reason, Harry exited Gringott's Bank feeling like he had just escaped from prison. He ran back to the Leaky Cauldron, bought another round of butterbeer and paid Tom. Just as Harry was setting the butterbeer on the table, Florean Fortescue from the wizard's ice cream parlor enter the Leaky Cauldron.  
  
"Mr. Potter, how nice to see you again. How did you do on your exams?," Mr. Fortescue asked.  
  
"Excellent Mr. Fortescue, thank you very much. Our conversation made all the difference it the world. Got very high marks and the Professor said I have a very unique inside into the subject. Thank you again."  
  
"Think nothing of it. It was a pleasure talking with you." Mr. Fortescue looked over at Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry. Mr. Fortescue. This is my uncle, Vernon Dursley. My aunt Petunia, and this is my cousin Dudley." Mr. Fortescue, shook everyone's hand. "Mr. Fortescue runs the best ice cream shop in ... well, probably in the world."  
  
Mr. Fortescue turned slightly red as he hung his head modestly. "Now, now Mr. Potter, let's not get carried away. Will you be coming to Diagon Alley?"   
  
Now there was another nightmare just waiting to happen, Harry thought.  
  
Perhaps sensing Harry's uncertainty, Mr. Fortescue said, "Well if you do, you must drop by, It's always a pleasure to have you. Nice meeting you all. Must be going now. Nice seeing you again Mr. Potter."  
  
"What is Diagon Alley?", Uncle Vernon ask as Harry sat down.  
  
"It's a.... sort of a... it's a ...historic ...ah ...shopping area."  
  
"Well, it has been a very pleasant day. It might be nice to top it off with an ice cream. That Mr. Fortescue seemed like a nice fellow. A successful businessman it would appear." Uncle Vernon obviously put a great deal of stock in successful businessmen  
  
"Well, Uncle Vernon .. ah ... you have to understand", Harry's brain began to scream '...nightmare! ...nightmare!', "That just like the Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley is ...a place ....ah ...for ..you know, people like me. Lots and lots of people like me, hundreds of them", Harry hoped that might discourage Uncle Vernon.   
  
Harry rested his elbow on the table and began rubbing his forehead. No headache this time, he was feeling a little light headed. Maybe he was coming down with something, maybe they would have to rush him to the hospital. Harry moaned softly; he knew his luck would never be that good.  
  
"Well, Tom's inn is a bit smaller than I imagine, but given that it is a very old historic site, I find it quite charming, and it certainly has been a very pleasant experience. Wouldn't you say so, Petunia." Uncle Vernon said as he took another big drink of butterbeer. Aunt Petunia nodded in agreement. Dudley also nodded, but it hard to tell if he is just agreeing with his father, or if he's agreeing with what his father said.  
  
'Voldemort... Voldemort... Were are you when I need you? Please, kill me now.... nightmare! ...nightmare!', Harry thought, desperately hoping that he would wake up any second and find himself home safe in bed.  
  
Reluctantly, Harry continued, "uhum... there is one other very important thing, and I'm sure you would agree. The people who go to Diagon Alley are not very comfortable when the muggle ...ah ...the normal world and their world mix. You have to understand that our world is a secret place, and it is vitally important that the normal world does not find out about it. You are some of the very very few regular people who have ever been allowed to enter this world. I hope you understand what a privilege this is? It may not seem that important to just come to a pub and have a couple of butterbeers. But the truth is, as you saw outside, you could have never found this place on your own, even if you were standing right in front of it. I've allowed you to step into the most secret society on the face of the earth, and now you are asking me to take you right into the heart of that society. That's roughly the equivalent of asking me to give away Britain's national defense secrets. The result of a betrayal of this confidence is chaos; chaos in both worlds. Certainly, lives and fortunes will be lost on both sides."  
  
'Wow!', Harry thought. He even impressed himself with that speech. He wished someone had written it down. Then he thought he better top it off, just to make sure. "And, you must realize, that should there be any indication of a betrayal or the possibility of a betrayal. The Ministry of Magic has ways to MAKE people forget." He hope the emphasis on the word 'MAKE' would scare them enough to push the thought out of their mind.  
  
"Most impressive Mr. Potter, most impressive", came the first compliment Harry had ever heard in his life from Uncle Vernon. "After a speech like that, you might want to consider a career in politics. As far as integrity, in all my many years as a businessman, my integrity has never been questioned. My word is my bond, I stand behind it."  
  
Harry, looked at Uncle Vernon and nodded his head toward Dudley. "Ah, yes, right you are Mr. Potter. That could be a problem. Listen here Dudley, you heard what Harry said. This is not a game. This is not skipping rope on the play ground. This is vitally important. If I can't appeal to that thick head of your, then let me appeal to that equally thick belly. Harry, has just invited us to THE WORLD'S BEST ICE CREAM PARLOR. I dare say, these treats will be magic to your taste buds. But there is only one way that you get to the world best ice cream parlor, and that is to take this secret to your grave. I've been very disappointed with your behavior today. You've been nothing but rude and ill mannered. And I swear a solemn oath, that if you betray this secret, you and Harry will very quick find yourselves trading places in the Dursley household. One more misstep out of you and I swear, you'll find yourself living in the cupboard under the stairs. Have I made myself clear? Have I made myself crystal clear."  
  
Wow, Harry thought, pretty nice speech yourself Uncle Vernon.  
  
Dudley nodded his head.  
  
"Say it Dudley, say it out loud!"  
  
"Yes sir, take it to my grave. Just as you said father."  
  
"Well then, you've talked us into it. We accept your invitation Mr. Potter. An ice cream would be lovely", Uncle Vernon said.  
  
'TALKED YOU INTO IT! INVITATION! ...NIGHTMARE! ...NIGHTMARE!', the words were deafening as they echoed through the corridors of Harry's brain.  
  
Uncle Vernon removed his wallet from his coat, "guess we better square things with Tom then."  
  
"That's OK Uncle Vernon, I've already taken care of it."  
  
"You have?", Uncle Vernon said, more as a statement of astonishment than an actual question. "How do we get there?"  
  
End Part 2 - Chapter 1 


	3. Respect - Part 2 - Chapt 2

Title: Respect - Part 2  
Author: BBoy_mn  
E-mail: ----  
Disclaimers:   
All characters, terms, names, trademarks, and settings, whether implied or stated, are the sole property of J.K. Rowlings with distribution and marketing rights held by Warner Brothers, and Scholastic, Inc publishing.  
  
Spoilers: Part 2 has some references to the Chess game in Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone.  
  
Date: 7/21/2002  
Summary: Part 1 -A chance meeting in a department store plants the seed for the Durley's gaining respect for Harry.  
Part 2 - As a result of the meeting in the department store, the Dursley finally come face to face with the wizard world. It is a sweet treat indeed.  
  
Warnings: None - probably not ideal for children under 12. Subtly and delicately mentions French kissing and uses the word 'hell' a couple of times.  
  
Notes:   
Part 1 - I envision that there will be a time when the Dursley will have to give Harry some respect. This is just one scenario that could plant the seed for that to happen.   
Part 2 - Plus, I think another funny story, would be the Dursley's visiting the Leaky Cauldron.   
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
Part 2 - Chapter 2  
  
'How do we get there?' That certainly was a problem. Harry just couldn't imagine the Dursley's standing and watching while a solid stone wall turned into a beautiful archway. Was he really going to do this? Was he really going to take the bull, that would be Uncle Vernon, into the crystal shop? If he wasn't, then how was he going to get out of it?   
  
Please, to all the forces of the universe, whatever I did to deserve this, I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. Please can we make this stop? Please? This was useless. The story of his entire life; one disaster after another hanging over his head. Harry glance toward the heavens, 'it could still rain. There's always the chance that lightening will strike me and it will all be over with.'  
  
Harry heaved a heavy sigh as he tried to steel his resolve with some vague and distant words that crept into his head. 'Once more into the breech, dear friends, once more; ..... when the blast of war blows in our ears, then imitate the action of the tiger; stiffen the sinews, summon up the blood, and disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage...'. Or maybe just accept your fate, accept that you're doomed, and there is nothing you can do, but ride it out to the end.   
  
Harry thought he should try to prepare them a bit. "You understand that... that.... this is a magic place. You are going to see things that make no logical sense to you. For example, wizards can apparate. Well, older very experienced wizards can apparate. Apparation is a form of transportation. Older very powerful experienced wizards can move about by sheer force of will. For example, if I was able to do this, I could will myself to be home, and I would disappear and reappear at home. I'm certainly too inexperienced to do this, but it's possible that you may suddenly see someone appear out of nowhere. Just appear in the blink of an eye. Nothing to be alarmed about, just another way to travel. After the first few times you see it, it gets quite boring really."  
  
"You are stepping into a very unusually world, and you have to prepare yourself for the unusual. Keep in mind that the first time I came here, I was eleven, so it's certainly not that hard. So, if you see something that makes no sense, just remember that it's something very boring and normal where we are going. It's actually a very pleasant place, extremely safe, no crime, children run free and play without worry. I seriously doubt that you'll see anything even remotely scary. Just think of it as a whole village all putting on a magic show at the same time. Are you sure you want to do this?"  
  
'Please say no, please say no, please say no, please....'  
  
Uncle Vernon actually laughed, well, more of a chuckle, "What and miss the worlds best ice cream?" Uncle Vernon wasn't waiting for an answer, he rose to his feet.  
  
No Voldemort, no lightening, no one's willing to shoot me, and it's pretty clear I'm not going to wake up. So what am I left with? Suddenly, Harry could feel his blood surging again as beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. He hung his head and gave one last long sigh. '...into the breech once more...'.  
  
Harry rose to his feet, feet that suddenly seemed to be made of lead, and drug himself to the backdoor of the Leaky Cauldron. As Harry passed the bar, Tom gave him a sly smile. Very confusing, Harry thought, it was almost like Tom was enjoying Harry's torture, or was a least enjoying some aspect of this insane situation.   
  
"Uncle Vernon, I... I... aahhh.... I have to... unlock the outside door. How it's unlocked is a secret, so you all wait here, and when you hear me call, come out and we'll go for ice cream."  
  
Harry wiped the beads of sweat off his forehead with his shirt sleeve as he entered the courtyard, held his wand in his trembling hand, and tapped the bricks. The bricks and stones, rumbled and clattered until they had formed the archway. 'So this is how the world ends, not by the dark forces of an evil wizard, but by a drill salesman and his fat son.'  
  
"OK, you can come out now." Harry called; quietly and futilely hoping they had all gotten bored and gone home. No such luck, the Drusleys came out of the door all smiles, gazing around the courtyard as they walked. Harry hoped he didn't have to explain to them how it was possible for this place to exist behind the inn, and at the same time not exist in London. Mostly because, beyond saying 'it's magic', he didn't have a clue.  
  
As Harry lead them into the bustling streets of Diagon Alley, he suddenly felt very light headed. Maybe he would faint and he could be unconscious through this whole ordeal. No, his luck was never that good. Dazed looks and glassy eyes expressed the Dursley's awe, as they craned there necks, trying to take in everything at once.   
  
"EEWWWW!!! Don't tell me you eat that stuff." Dudley spotted the potions shop with it's assortment of what anyone muggle or magic would consider pretty disgusting; barrels of goo, vats of slim, and the various body parts of assorted creepy and crawly creatures.   
  
Uncle Vernon's head snapped to the sides, as he looked around to see if anyone noticed Dudley's outburst. Of course, in Diagon Alley, odd noises and sudden outbursts were pretty normal, so witches and wizards calmly went about their business as usual, completely unaware of the muggles in their midst.  
  
"No Dudley, those are potion ingredients. They're used for making medicines." Harry reassured Dudley. 'Medicine beyond your wildest imaginations, Dudley my boy.', Harry added to himself. "Let's hurry along, the ice cream shop is just down the street."  
  
"Harry? Harry! What are you doing here?" Harry looked down the street and saw Hermione walking in his direction followed by her parents. "Harry are you here alone?"  
  
Just as she asked, the Dursley's line up behind Harry. 'This must be it. This must be the part of this nightmare where the world finally comes to an end.'   
  
Harry was aware that Hermione knew how the Dursleys treated him, and she had a very hostile attitude toward them. That, combined with her tendency to be very outspoken, made Harry very sure that this was definitely the end.  
  
"Hermione... good to see you." Harry pulled Hermione into a hug, and kissed her on the cheek. As they hugged, Harry saw the chance to warn Hermione, but in the short span of a friendly hug, there wasn't much time for long explanations. Finally, Harry whispered in her ear, "please don't provoke anyone", then stepped back.  
  
There was a long awkward silence before Harry realized they were waiting for him to introduce everyone. "...aahhhh..... Hermione, this is my Uncle Vernon. Please...", Harry emphasized the word 'please', "say hello to him. Uncle Vernon, my very best friend Hermione Granger." Harry tightened his shoulders and held his breath in anticipation of what might come next.   
  
Hermione stood with her fists clenched at her side as she glared at Uncle Vernon. '....nightmare! .....nightmare!....' Harry knew he had to do something to defuse this. "Hermione, isn't it nice of Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia to come with me to....." Harry clenched his teeth and growled the next two words hoping Hermione would understand, "....DIAGON ALLEY." Harry could handle Uncle Vernon in the muggle world, but if he lost his temper here in the magic world, Harry had visions of curses flying in from every direction.  
  
Hermione's head slowly turned toward Harry glaring at him for a few seconds. Harry finally took a breath again when he saw Hermione's body relax a bit as she unclenched her fists. Still glaring at Harry, Hermione extended her hand to Uncle Vernon. "So you're Uncle Vernon, I've heard so much about you." After a very brief handshake Hermione pulled her hand away. "And you must be Aunt Petunia." Hermione's hands came to rest on her hips as she locked her eyes on Dudley. "...and YOU.... you must be DUD...ley." Hermione stepped back and glared at them all, her hands still firmly planted on her hips. "A pleasure to meet you I'm sure." Each word spoken more unconvincingly that the one before it. Hermione, step back and stood alongside her parents, with her arms folded defiantly across her chest.  
  
Harry wiped his finger along the inside of his shirt collar, then blotted the sweat from his upper lip. 'To the forces of the universe... whatever it was, whatever I did to deserve this; I am really really really sorry.' Harry tensed his body, and stood very still. No lightening. No Voldemort. No one to shoot him. And he certainly wasn't waking up. So, let the nightmare continue.  
  
"Uncle Vernon, this is Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Hermione's parents. They're Dentists.... both of them.... regular dentist.... regular... They have an office in London. ...a regular office.... ...in London." Harry's headache was back again.  
  
"Vernon Durley, Grunning's Drill Company", Uncle Vernon extended his hand to Mr. Granger. As he watched, Harry shook his head; leave it to Uncle Vernon to squeeze in an advert for his company. "This is my wife Petunia and our young boy, Dudley. Harry has just invited us to... The Worlds Best Ice Cream Shop for a treat. Would you like to join us?"  
  
"Yes, please... please join us." Harry words sounded more like a prayer than an invitation.   
  
Hermione's eyes and mouth tightened as she glared everyone. "Very well!" With that Hermione grabbed Harry by the shirt and started dragging him down the street toward the ice cream shop. As Hermione dragged Harry along she spoke to him in words that sounded like shouts subdued to a whisper. "What is wrong with you? Are you completely daft? How could you bring ....them... here?"  
  
Harry stumbled down the street as Hermione pulled him along. "What was I suppose to do? I couldn't use magic, although, I was certainly tempted." Now along with his headache, Harry's stomach was starting to hurt.  
  
"They hate wizards; whatever possessed them to come here in the first place?" Hermione demanded an answer.  
  
Harry wasn't sure he could explain. He had been trying to explain to himself all day, how he got himself into this mess. The best he could come up with was, he was cursed. Cursed for some forgotten crime in some previous lifetime. "They were invited. ....Well, I didn't invite them, they sort of invited themselves. ...Well, actually Tom invited them. ..... I don't know."  
  
Hermione's grip tightened painfully on Harry's shoulder. "Tom? Tom who? Not Tom from the inn?"  
  
They were almost at the ice cream shop, so whatever explanation there was, had better come quick. "Tom at the Leaky Cauldron invited them. We met him in a muggle department store, and after he and Uncle Vernon chatted, Tom invited Uncle Vernon to stop by for a butterbeer. What was I supposed to do?"  
  
Hermione stopped in her tracks. "He and Uncle Vernon chatted? They chatted!" Hermione stood stunned, desperately searching for some way to make sense of a situation that made less sense with each passing second.  
  
Too late, they were at Fortescue's Ice Cream Shop. Uncle Vernon and Mr. Granger approached apparently caught up in a conversation of merits of various types of drills. Close behind them were their wives and Dudley. Since some of Mr. Fortescue treats were a little unusually, not to mention magical, Harry thought it would be best if he took charge. "It's a pleasant day, let's sit outside. Take these two tables here. Just have a seat, I'll talk to Mr. Fortescue and take care of everything. Is that OK with everyone? Let Mr. Fortescue and myself surprise you with a treat? Nothing unusual, I promise; just good ice cream."  
  
Everyone gathered around the tables and found a seat; Hermione and her parents at one table, Harry and the Dursley's at the other. No one spoke against his suggestion of a surprise treat, so Harry took that as a Yes. Just before stepping into the ice cream shop, Harry looked back and noticed several wizards walking by. 'Stupid.... stupid.... stupid....' What was he thinking, seating them outside where the can encounter hundreds of witches and wizards. Cursed, the was no other explanation; he was cursed.  
  
Well, Uncle Vernon thought, it was a rather pleasant experience so far. Certainly not what he expected. He expected it to be more like a living nightmare; ghost and ghouls and goblins flying around make shrieking noises, all manner of monsters and demons lurking about. Instead, it wasn't that much different than any quaint old neighborhood in London. Certainly, the people dressed a little more colorful; a little too colorful for his taste, but he didn't have to live here, so he really didn't care what they did.  
  
Uncle Vernon glanced in the window of the ice cream shop wondering if he should go in and give Harry a hand. As he watched, he saw Harry and Mr. Fortescue in a very excited conversation. Harry was gesturing, making large circular shapes with his hands, pointing a various ice creams in the case, pointing up at the signs, ....now making a very large circle with arms, ....most curious... now there seems to be some dispute over money. Most unusual, the shopkeeper didn't seem to want to take Harry's money. It was nice of Harry to buy them an ice cream, but if he didn't have enough money, Uncle Vernon was certainly willing to help him out. Although, that didn't quite seem right; Harry had the money, he kept holding money out, but the shopkeeper kept pushing it away. Oh dear, things seem to be getting a bit heated; Harry slammed his money on the counter, pushed it toward the shopkeeper... most usual... well, the shopkeeper smiled and took Harry's money, so they must have worked it out. Still, if Harry needs some money....  
  
Harry came out of the shop smiling. "OK, everyone, it's all taken care of. Mr. Fortescue has agreed to prepare us a very special ice cream treat. I've left the details up to him, but he knows what I want. Mr. Fortescue is a master of ice cream, so I'm sure he will come up with something very special." Harry lean over to Uncle Vernon. "But I assure you, nothing too unusual."  
  
"Mr. Potter!" OK, Harry was sure he didn't know this wizard. Dressed in very dark green robes, a tall thin dignified wizard in his early forties approached, looking very happy to see them. "and Miss Granger, certainly the smartest witch of modern times. Mr. Weasley..." The man looked inside the shop and around at the other tables. "Mr. Weasley, is he here? He must be here."  
  
Harry looked over at Hermione to see if she had some clue what this was about; all he got was a puzzled look and a shrug. "You mean Ron; Ron Weasley?"  
  
"Oh yes, Ron Weasley", the wizard said anxiously, "He must be here, you're always together. Please, tell me he's here?"  
  
Again, Harry looked at Hermione for a clue; again another shrug. "No Ron isn't with us today. Hermione and I just bumped into each other by accident. We haven't seen him."  
  
"Oh dear" the wizard frowned looking genuinely hurt that he wasn't going to see Ron. "I was so hoping to see him. It would be such an honor."  
  
"I'm sorry", Harry was puzzled, no one ever wanted to see Ron; all they ever wanted to see was Harry's scar. "why do you want to see Ron? I don't understand. Do you know him?"  
  
"Oh, I should be so lucky as to know Ron Weasley." the wizard seemed delighted at that thought, "I was hoping to get his autograph. Why I'd be the envy of all my friends."  
  
OK, now this was even more confusing. Everyone wanted Harry's autograph, no one had ever asked for Ron's before. "I'm sorry, I still don't understand. Why do you want Ron's autograph?"  
  
"Why the chess game against McGonagall's chess set, of course. The chess game that saved the world. Why I swear there has never been a more heroic game of chess played in the history of the world, and to sacrifice himself at the end...." the wizard looked wistfully into the distance, "how noble, how very noble." The wizard grew quiet and hung his head. "Well, perhaps some other time. But I real was hoping I could get his autograph."  
  
"Tell you what, wait until a couple of weeks after school starts, then send Ron a letter at the school. I'll explain it all to him, and tell him to expect your post. I'm sure he wouldn't have a problem answering your letter. A personal letter from Ron would certainly be better than an autograph." While it was flattering, even if it was Ron's autograph the wizard wanted, it was making his already too complicated life even more complicated. He just wanted to get rid of the guy.  
  
"Are you sure he wouldn't mind?", the wizard asked cautiously.  
  
"I can't see why he would. I'm sure if he was here he would give you an autograph, so I see no problem with a letter." Harry could feel his heart pounding again. He already too much on his mind; he didn't need this distraction.  
  
"Well, if your sure then." Harry nodded to the wizard "Well, delightful, it's been a good day after all. Well, I bid you good afternoon Mr. Potter, and good afternoon to you Miss Granger; truly the smartest witch of modern times. I swear, I could have never solved the riddle of the potions. Sheer genius, I say. Well, good day to all." With that, the wizard hurried off down the street.  
  
Harry shook his weary head as he watched the wizard walk away. 'Thank my luck stars, that's over with.' Harry turned back to the table and sat rubbing his forehead, trying to get his stress level back down to something manageable.  
  
"What was that all about? ...heroic chess games ....potion riddles?" Uncle Vernon asked.  
  
Of course, it couldn't just end; it couldn't just be over and done with so he could have some ice cream in peace. To the powers of the universe ..... how many times to I have to say I'm sorry? "Ron played this game of chess that.... stopped this wizard.... this bad wizard.... from.... stealing.... this.... thing... this... precious artifact. When we found out about it, it was too late to get help, so the three of us went after him. To get through this one room, we had to play a game of chess... these... guards wouldn't let us through unless we won a game of chess. Ron is a really good chess player, and won the game, but to win, he had to sacrifice himself."  
  
Uncle Vernon tense his brow, and gave Harry a long puzzled stare. "Well, it very good that he won the game, and you retrieved this ....thing, but I don't understand what was so heroic about a chess game. It's good that he won, but it's hardly heroic."  
  
Harry took a deep breath and let it out in a noisy rush of air. How do you explain the unexplainable, and even if you could, how do you explain it to someone like Uncle Vernon. Fortunately, Hermione continued the story for him. 'Thank you Hermione.'  
  
"This was wizards chess", Harry noticed that Hermione had a very nasty tone in her voice, "in wizards chess, the chess pieces are alive. When one piece takes another, the piece doesn't just quietly move off the board. The attacking piece literally attacks and destroys the other piece. When Ron sacrificed himself, he sacrificed himself to a twenty foot high queen made of living stone. When the queen attacked other stone chess pieces, one smash of her stone arms reduce them to rubble. When the queen attacked Ron, she attacked with every intention of destroying him. Ron's body offered very little resistance compared to the stone chess pieces the queen usually destroys. So when Ron sacrificed himself, he as good as sacrificed his life, so Harry and I could move on to the next chamber. Keep in mind that our noble hero was only eleven years old when he did this. Fortunately, Ron wasn't killed, but he did spend some time in the hospital. NOW can you see why this was a heroic chess game?"  
  
"Well, yes, if that's true then it certainly was heroic, and that certainly was a sacrifice. What about the potions riddle?", Uncle Vernon's curiosity still wasn't satisfied.   
  
When Uncle Vernon said 'if that's true', Harry could see Hermione's face turn red and her knuckles whiten as she clutched the edge of the table. Harry wondered if Uncle Vernon understood how close he just came to going home covered in tentacles.... or worse.   
  
Harry hope he could keep this story short and bring this conversation to a close. "In the next room, was a table with several bottles on it and a parchment with a riddle, a very long complex riddle. Some of the bottles had poison, some of the bottles had water or wine, only two of the bottles had the potions we needed. One potion to move forward and one potion to go back. I took the one to go forward after the wizard and Hermione took the other one to go back and get Ron, and go for help. This was an extremely complex riddle. Even knowing the answer, I still can't figure it out. In fact, I still haven't met anyone who could solve it even if they started with the answer. Keep in mind that if Hermione had gotten it wrong, we would have probably both end up drinking poison."   
  
Hermione's hand slammed down on the table. "The part he forgot, is that the potions allowed us to go forward and back through wall of flames. If were had drank water, thinking it was the right potion, we would have stepped into an inferno. If we didn't solve the riddle, right or wrong, then we were stuck in the chamber trapped behind the flames."  
  
Uncle Vernon sat very quietly, his eyes cast blankly down at the table top while he slowly stroked the edges of his mustache with his finger. "And you went after the wizard, Mr. Potter? What happened?"  
  
"I went into the next chamber and fought the wizard to prevent him from getting the stone." Harry spoke quietly. Now that it was happening, this was a story he really wished he wasn't telling to Uncle Vernon.   
  
"You fought him with magic?", apparently, Uncle Vernon wanted the story to continue.   
  
"No", Harry spoke without emotion, perhaps it had all been drained out of him by the stress of the day, or perhaps there were some emotions he chose not to feel. "I was eleven years old, it was my first year at Hogwarts. I didn't know enough magic. I fought him; I literally fought him with my body and my wits hoping to delay him long enough for help to arrive. He was a full grown man and a very powerful wizard, not to mention a mean and ruthless wizard. While I certain wasn't able to defeat him, I did delay him long enough to save the stone, or so they told me when I woke up in the hospital a week later. Keep in mind that we use magic in our hospitals. A week in a wizard's hospital is like six months in a muggle hospital."  
  
Uncle Vernon sat with his arms folded over his chest, slowly stroking his mustache, as he look back and forth between Hermione and Harry. "Why didn't you ever tell us this?"  
  
'What! Maybe because you ignored me. Maybe because you abused me. Maybe because you starved me and held me prisoner. Maybe because you forbid me to ever speak of it.' Harry wondered if Uncle Vernon was really serious when he asked. "I guess I'm just modest."  
  
End Part 2 - Chapter 2 


	4. Respect - Part 2 - Chapt 3

Title: Respect - Part 2  
Author: BBoy_mn  
E-mail: ----  
Disclaimers:   
All characters, terms, names, trademarks, and settings, whether implied or stated, are the sole property of J.K. Rowlings with distribution and marketing rights held by Warner Brothers, and Scholastic, Inc publishing.  
  
Spoilers: Part 2 has some references to the Chess game in Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone.  
  
Date: 7/21/2002  
Summary: Part 1 -A chance meeting in a department store plants the seed for the Durley's gaining respect for Harry.  
Part 2 - As a result of the meeting in the department store, the Dursley finally come face to face with the wizard world. It is a sweet treat indeed.  
  
Warnings: None - probably not ideal for children under 12. Subtly and delicately mentions French kissing and uses the word 'hell' a couple of times.  
  
Notes:   
Part 1 - I envision that there will be a time when the Dursley will have to give Harry some respect. This is just one scenario that could plant the seed for that to happen.   
Part 2 - Plus, I think another funny story, would be the Dursley's visiting the Leaky Cauldron.   
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Part 2 - Chapter 3  
  
  
"Well, it looks like the story is over. I've been ready for a while but I didn't want to interrupt. They are such grant adventures. I swear, the three of you should write a book." Mr. Fortescue appeared in the doorway with a tray full of ice cream treats; sundaes made by a master. Mr. Fortescue brought a large tray around and gave the Grangers their ice cream, then Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia, and finally Harry. "Well, there you are. I hope you enjoy yourselves. If you need anything just give a yell."  
  
Harry struggled to keep a straight face. He and Mr. Fortescue were having a laugh at Dudley's expense. Harry ask Mr. Fortescue to leave Dudley's ice cream until last just to tease Dudley a bit. Dudley sat fidgeting in his chair with a look of panic on his face. Soon he was gasping with a pained expression on his face that looked as if he were about to burst into tears. As much as he would have like to torture Dudley some more, he didn't want to do anything to drag this day out any longer. Harry glanced at Mr. Fortescue and nodded.  
  
"Oh wait, there's one more to go. Hang on, I'll be right back." Mr. Fortescue scurried back into his shop.  
  
Harry knew it would be a while, he told Mr. Fortescue to wait a minute or two just to torment Dudley a little more. Mr. Fortescue, as always, the master of ice cream, had created spectacular ice cream sundaes. The Grangers and Harry all had four large balls of ice cream each a different flavor; French vanilla, strawberry, raspberry truffle, and chocolate with milk chocolate bits. With the Dursleys, Harry remember what Uncle Vernon had said about himself and Aunt Petunia having butterscotch sundaes when they were young, so in place of chocolate, they had butterscotch. Of course, Mr. Fortescue could never do anything as mundane as four simple scoops, actually four large balls of ice cream. First, the balls of ice cream laid on a bed of assorted nut and candy toppings, then on top of the ice cream was a towering mound of whipped cream sprinkled with nuts and topped with a cherry, several flavored wafer biscuits, two large chocolate brownies, and that was just what Harry could see. He assumed, once he started digging in, there would be more treats.   
  
Finally, Mr. Fortescue appeared with Dudley's sundae, and without a doubt, Mr. Fortescue had out done himself. The ice cream was in a large shallow flat bottom bowl about as big around as a punch bowel; actually it was more like a large glass plate with high sides. On it were a dozen large balls of ice cream, each one a different flavor. Of course, on a sundae this large, a single towering mound of whipped cream wasn't enough, Dudley's sundae had five towering mounds of whipped cream, each sprinkled with nuts and topped with a large bright red cherry. Then we come to the extras, four very large chocolate brownies, two dozen assorted wafer cookies spread around the plate, filling the gaps between the ice cream balls were little piles of candy and nut toppings, and Harry was sure that Mr. Fortescue had managed to sneak in a few other surprises.  
  
When Mr. Fortescue stepped out of the door holding Dudley's sundae, Dudley's jaw dropped to his chest and his eye widened to the size of galleon coins. Mr. Fortescue set the bowl in front of Dudley, and set a spoon along side. Dudley sat motionless, his bulging eyes feasting on the beauty laid before him.  
  
"You conjured some of it the way I told you?" Harry asked quitely as he looked at Mr. Fortescue.  
  
Mr. Fortescue bowed slightly, "Just as we discussed. Will that be all?"  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Fortescue, as always, you are the master of all ice cream makers." Mr. Fortescue modestly waved away Harry's compliments as the returned to his shop.  
  
Dudley's sundae wasn't just holding Dudley in awe, everyone sat with their eyes transfixed on this marvelous ice cream delight. Suddenly, Dudley's face snapped into a wide grin, as he grabbed his spoon and began shoveling ice cream into his mouth as fast as he could.  
  
"DUDLEY!", Uncle Vernon, face red with veins bulging in his neck, slammed his fist down on the table. Uncle Vernon realized that everyone on the street had turned to look when he yelled at Dudley. Suddenly feeling very self-conscious, Uncle Vernon lowered his voice. "We are not hogs lining up at a trough. I swear Dudley, if they don't start teaching you some manners at that school, you'll find yourself in public school next term. Now, unless you want that fine gentleman to come out here and remove your ice cream, I suggest you act a little more civilized." Uncle Vernon tried to smile pleasantly as he look over at the Grangers. "Send him to the finest private school, you'd think the could take five minutes each day to teach them a few manners. Well, he's young, he'll learn."  
  
Harry loved this just a little too much. He saw no reason to show Dudley any mercy considering what Dudley had put him through over the years, but he couldn't help feeling sorry for the poor slob. "Dudley, Uncle Vernon's right", Harry just realized he had agreed with his uncle; that was certainly a first. "This isn't your run of the mill commercial ice cream; every bite is like a bite into heaven." Harry spun Dudley's bowl around looking for a particular ice cream that he wanted Dudley to try, but as he look he saw so many good flavors. "Dudley, this one, this one that's really white; that's coconut... or is that one coconut cream pie... either way you are going to love it. Let see....", Harry continued to turn the plate as he search the ice cream. "Here it is. This slightly yellow one. Take a regular... a normal size spoon full of this, don't eat it, don't swallow it, just put it on your tongue and let it melt. Please Dudley, I know you'll like it."  
  
Dudley scooped up a small spoonful, never taking his eyes off his father. Perhaps, he was afraid Uncle Vernon would leap over the table and attack him. Dudley cautiously put the ice cream in his mouth and let it sit on his tongue and melt. Harry waited for the reaction he knew would inevitably come. Ah yes, there it is. The corners of Dudley's mouth began to droop, his face reddened, his eyes scrunched tight then his shoulders began to shake as he started to sob softly.   
  
"Dudley, for heaven sake, pull yourself together. What's the matter with you." The frustration and embarrassment in Uncle Vernon's voice were very clear.  
  
Dudley's shoulders shook a little harder then he couldn't contain himself, he began to cry. "...i..i..it's soo... soooo gooood..... it's sooooo gooooood...." Dudley sniffed and wiped his eyes on his arm and continued to sob softly.  
  
"Dudley, have you taken leave of your senses? Pull yourself together, you're an embarrassment." Uncle Vernon scowled at Dudley.  
  
Harry thought it was time to step in. "Don't be to harsh on him until you've tried it. Everyone, you've all got some; it looks like vanilla but it's a little darker yellow. Please, everyone do what Dudley did. Take a spoonful and let it melt on your tongue. Really, everyone together; trust me."  
  
Everyone including Harry put a spoonful of ice cream in there mouth. While Harry waited for the results, he looked over at Dudley. Dudley was still a bit emotional, but he managed to pick up his spoon, although he obviously couldn't decide where to begin. Harry wiped the tears from his eyes as he turned back to check on the others. Sure enough, they all sat very quietly looking at there ice cream, and to a person, everyone had tears in their eyes.  
  
"It's French vanilla, I just discovered it last year. I swear, you would have to be made of stone for this ice cream not to bring a tear to your eye. It's made from the finest African vanilla beans, very rare beans that only grow in an enchanted forest in the heart of the African jungle. These are the richest beans on the face of the earth. Then, just to make sure they are at their full flavor, the beans are carefully aged for a hundred years. Mixed with these rare aged beans are the eggs of the finest enchanted French hens. Don't know what it is, but apparently, there is something special about French hens." Last year, while Harry sat at Fortescue's one quiet afternoon, Mr. Fortescue had given him an education in the art of ice cream.  
  
"The chocolate which has bits of milk chocolate in it; I like it best that way. The chocolate is made from cocoa beans that have been aged for three hundred years. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, I hope it's OK, instead of chocolate, I gave you butterscotch. Please trust me, this will be butterscotch the likes of which you've never seen even in your wildest butterscotch dreams. I know you won't be disappointed."   
  
Harry turned back to Dudley, "Dudley, try this one, this is my favorite; raspberry truffle. It's made from the finest vanilla ice cream, the same aged African beans, although not French vanilla, then it's swirled with the sweetest raspberry preserves, it also has fresh whole raspberries in it, and this, this is the best part. See this brown thing here, that a small chocolate candy filled with raspberry sirup. You bite into one of those and it's like a raspberry explosion in your mouth. Everyone try it; you've all got some. Dudley, really, don't forget to try the coconut."  
  
Harry turned Dudley's bowel slowly looking for anything else that might be of special interest. "Dudley, have you ever had a toasted marshmallow? Of course you have. This ugly brown one here. This is marshmallow ice cream that's been deep fried. Quickly dipped in a deep fryer, just long enough to caramelize the outside. Trust me Dudley, you never in your life had a marshmallow this good. Dudley, the best way to do it, is just go through them all and take a small bite of one, let it melt in your mouth, the go on to the next one. This will be an ice cream adventure like you never dared dream."  
  
"Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, did you try the butterscotch?" The hesitant looks on their faces told him they hadn't. "Please, both of you try it right now. Especially for you two, if this doesn't bring back some special memories then nothing will. Please, I know you'll love it."  
  
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia seemed reluctant, as if it were undignified to get this excited over ice cream, but they were in a good mood and gave it a try. As the butterscotch melted in there mouth, Harry saw shy smiles appear on their faces. For a second, they almost looked like shy teenagers again. They locked each other in a soft gaze with an equally soft smile, then Harry saw something he hadn't counted on. Slowly, their smiling faces moved closer together until they kissed. Afterwards, they turned their heads away shyly, but remained very close. Now, Harry could have lived without that. OK, he brought them to Diagon Alley for ice cream, wasn't that enough? He really could have gone his whole life without seeing them kiss and he would have been happy, or a least a lot happier than he was right now.  
  
Uncle Vernon leaned on the table and rested his chin in his hand, leaning in very close to Aunt Petunia. Aunt Petunia, her hands folded in her lap, look down bashfully. "Oh Petunia", Uncle Vernon said wistfully, "it's been so many years since I've had one of your sweet butterscotch kisses. Sadly, I had almost forgotten how wonderful they were." Uncle Vernon leaned in closer to Petunia, " .....mmmmmmm.... [kiss] ...my sweet Petunia and her sweet butterscotch kisses .....mmmmmm... [kiss] ...now I remember why I fell in love with you. ....mmmmmm.... [kiss] ...take another bite and give your pookie bear a sweet butterscotch ice cream kiss." Looking as if she were the naughtiest schoolgirl on the face of the earth, Petunia took a spoonful of butterscotch, and pulled Vernon into a kiss. This was not a polite mommy and daddy kiss. Let's just say, when it was over, Vernon had a fair share of Petunia's butterscotch ice cream.  
  
Harry closed his eyes as his head dropped down. To the forces of the universe, where is your mercy, doesn't the punishment ever stop? Harry lifted his head and slowly opened his eyes, and saw Vernon and Petunia looking lovingly into each other's eyes. Just behind them, Harry saw Hermione poking her finger into her mouth like she was gagging herself, or at least she was until her mother poked her and made her stop.   
  
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia apparently realized they were behaving like lovesick teenagers, and sat up straight, trying to muster some dignity. Harry saw Uncle Vernon, look at him and smile, a very strange creepy smile, it was soft and loving like a proud father watching his son from a distance. Except, Harry had never seen Uncle Vernon give Dudley a soft loving smile like this.   
  
"Harry, thank you, that really did bring back some beautiful memories. Memories that I had come so terribly close to forgetting. It renewed a part of me that I hadn't even realized I'd lost. I can't thank you enough Harry. I can't thank you enough." Vernon's voice cracked slightly as spoke the last few words. When he realized his emotion were getting the better of him, he cleared his throat, wiped his eyes, and turned back to his ice cream. "A lovely treat Harry, really lovely; thank you."  
  
Aunt Petunia still looking like a lovesick schoolgirl, looked at Harry and smiled, or at least Harry thought it was a smile. Harry couldn't ever remember seeing Aunt Petunia actually smile, so he was only guessing, but it looked like a smile. "Yes Harry, thank you so much, a very lovely treat." Petunia look at Vernon, her sweet pookie bear, blushed slightly and quickly returned to her ice cream. Harry saw her take a big bite of raspberry truffle then suddenly close her eyes, throw her head back and moan ecstatically. Harry knew exactly what happen, she bite into a raspberry filled chocolates. Biting into one of those, especially if it catches you by surprise, really was a burst of raspberry ecstasy.  
  
Uncle Vernon notice Petunia's raspberry rapture, and turned to Harry. "Ah Harry, do you suppose it really would be possible to bring some of that butterbeer home. I really think it would be great poured over a glass of ice cream." Uncle Vernon suddenly looked very shy. "Plus, then Petunia and I could have our sweet butterscotch kisses whenever we wanted." Harry had seen Uncle Vernon's face turn bright red many times in his life, but this was the first time he ever saw it happen with a smile on Uncle Vernon's face.  
  
"Hermione, there's nothing special about butterbeer is there? Can you see any reason why we couldn't take some home?' Hermione shrugged, shook her head, and took another bite of ice cream.   
  
That reminded Harry of Petunia's raspberry rapture. "Hermione, you've tried the raspberry haven't you?" Hermione turned her bowel and showed Harry that her raspberry was half eaten. "Hermione, you haven't eaten your French vanilla. Why not?"  
  
Hermione looked over at Dudley, "Well, I thought if I ate all the other ice cream first I might be emotionally calm enough to handle the French vanilla without blubbering like... .DUD...ley."  
  
Surprisingly, Dudley wasn't embarrassed or offended, he gave Hermione a huge grin and laughed. "But it was sooooo gooood." Dudley continued to grin and laugh. "In fact, I'm going to have some more." Dudley pushed a big spoonful of French vanilla into his mouth and continued to laugh while his eye welled up and tears began to trickle down his face. "It's soooo goooood. Thank you Harry, I love you."  
  
OK, that was a shock. Harry stared at Dudley in amazement. The guy who dedicated himself to making Harry's life a living hell, just said he loved him. Harry was about to appeal to the powers of the universe for some sanity, but glancing toward the heavens, he realized that was a lost cause.  
  
"POTTER! You twit!"  
  
Once more, Harry glanced toward the heavens, apparently his life was truly cursed, because of all people, the last person he wanted to meet was DRACO MALFOY.  
  
"Draco, go away." Harry lowered his head and pressed his finger tips hard to his temples, his headache was back.  
  
"Potter, what the hell is wrong with you? I don't even have to ask, one look tells me that these are a bunch of MUDBLOODS." Draco stood defiantly, glaring at Harry.  
  
Harry noticed Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia flinch when Draco said 'mudbloods', apparently the tone of his voice was enough to tell them they had been insulted.  
  
Harry rose to his feet and confronted Draco. "Draco, I'm telling you for the last time; GO AWAY."  
  
"Potter you pathetic twit, it's people like you who are destroying the wizard world. You and the likes of you are contaminating my world, by bringing in these filthy stinking mud... ....ooouuuughfff!....." Draco held his stomach and doubled over.  
  
Unknown to Harry, Dudley had gotten up from the table and come to stand at Harry's side. When Draco started to say mudbloods again, Dudley punch him in the stomach. A quick glance to the heavens made Harry absolutely sure that the powers of the universe were up there laughing hysterically at him. He was in Diagon Alley with muggles, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were behaving like lovesick teens, Dudley loved him, and now Dudley was at his side ready to fight for him. Doesn't the insanity in his life ever end.   
  
When Draco recovered slightly, he instantly reached back for his wand. Fortunately, Harry was faster and managed to put a binding charm on Draco's wand and fused it to his pant. As Draco muttered under his still somewhat lost breath, tugging at his wand, a wizard came walking down the sidewalk toward them. He was in his thirties, tall with broad shoulders and a trim waist, handsome except for a couple of nasty scars on his face, and he was dressed in the deepest darkest red robes. Robe so deep and darkly red, they were almost black. As he walked by, he wrapped Draco sharply on the head with his wand.  
  
"...ooowwww... That hurt." Draco stared in amazement as the stranger calmly walked away. "He hit me. He hit me! He can't do that." Draco turned his attention to the wizard. "You!... you can't do that. You hit me. Come back here. Come back here you, you won't get away with this. Do you know who my father is?" With that, Draco ran up the street after the wizard.  
  
Well, that was certainly strange. He'd never seen Draco give up so easily in his life. Well, the stranger did hit him, but still the whole thing seemed pretty dodgy. Of course, in his life, the unusual was pretty normal.  
  
"Dudley, that was very dangerous." Harry held his wand up in front of Dudley. "A wizard with a wand is like a gunfighter with a gun. It's not wise or healthy to provoke them. We're in the magic world now, we're not forbidden to use magic here. I doubt that Draco would have actually harmed you, but he still could have put a nasty curse or two on you."  
  
Dudley shrugged, "I'm not afraid of that weasel." Dudley lumbered back to the table, pick up his spoon, and look over his ice cream, searching for his next great ice cream adventure.  
  
Harry sat and smiled at Dudley, "Dudley..... weasel? ....or ferret?"  
  
Dudley burst out laughing almost spitting ice cream out of his mouth. "A FERRET..... A FERRET..... your right Harry, the guy was a ferret, a great white ferret." A quick glance from his father, forced Dudley to compose himself a bit, but he still seemed tickled by the idea of Draco as a ferret. Although, Harry notice that even Uncle Vernon was having trouble keeping a straight face at the thought of Draco the ferret.   
  
End Part 2 - Chapter 3 


	5. Respect - Part 2 - Chapt 4

Title: Respect - Part 2  
Author: BBoy_mn  
E-mail: ----  
Disclaimers:   
All characters, terms, names, trademarks, and settings, whether implied or stated, are the sole property of J.K. Rowlings with distribution and marketing rights held by Warner Brothers, and Scholastic, Inc publishing.  
  
Spoilers: Part 2 has some references to the Chess game in Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone.  
  
Date: 7/21/2002  
Summary: Part 1 -A chance meeting in a department store plants the seed for the Durley's gaining respect for Harry.  
Part 2 - As a result of the meeting in the department store, the Dursley finally come face to face with the wizard world. It is a sweet treat indeed.  
  
Warnings: None - probably not ideal for children under 12. Subtly and delicately mentions French kissing and uses the word 'hell' a couple of times.  
  
Notes:   
Part 1 - I envision that there will be a time when the Dursley will have to give Harry some respect. This is just one scenario that could plant the seed for that to happen.   
Part 2 - Plus, I think another funny story, would be the Dursley's visiting the Leaky Cauldron.   
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
Part 2 - Chapter 4  
  
  
"Well Mr. Potter, I'm most impressed." What was this, Harry thought, two compliments from Uncle Vernon in one day? "I always took you for a very passive, shy, introverted boy, but you stood up to that ......ferret without a seconds hesitation. Confronted him very boldly, I should say. Most impressive, Mr. Potter, most impressive."  
  
"On the other hand, Dudley", Uncle Vernon set his disapproving eyes on Dudley, "brawling in the streets like common hooligan. Dudley could you please try to act a little more civilized. I would be a lot more upset if the other young man hadn't been such an ill-mannered lout himself. Dudley, we are guests here, let's try to show some respect."  
  
Dudley threw down his spoon, "I don't care. I don't like what he said. I'm not sure what it means, but I know I didn't like, and I didn't like the way he was treating Harry. On top of that, I just didn't like that little ferret." A quick glance from his father, told Dudley he better calm himself, or there would be trouble.  
  
"Dudley's right", Hermione added quietly. "That was about the biggest insult he could have given us. It's something like saying that we are as low and common as dirt. It's considered a very bad insult in the wizard world. Truth is, I would have like to punch him myself."  
  
Harry thought it was time to change the subject; ice cream was certainly a lot safe that long conversations about punching Draco. "Dudley, have you noticed anything unusual about your ice cream." Dudley look his ice cream over, searching for anything that might be unusual. When he didn't see anything, he shook his head. "Dudley, it's a nice hot sunny afternoon, we've been here a long time eating ice cream. Any idea? Hot day. Long time. Ice cream."  
  
A bewilder look swept across Dudley's face as he began tapping each ball of ice cream with his spoon. "It isn't melting. It isn't melting! Father look, this ice cream doesn't melt. Harry, ....it doesn't melt?"  
  
"Well, Mr. Fortescue enchants them so they last a lot longer. I asked him to see if he could extend it a bit for yours because it was so big." Harry was about to continue, when Hermione jumped in.  
  
"Actually, it does melt, but it stays frozen like it is now for about an hour, then it's still good for another hour before is starts to get a little messy. That's not all, when you buy an ice cream cone, Mr. Fortescue enchants the ice cream so it can't fall out of the cone. Nothing worse than taking that first lick of some great ice cream and having it fall into the street. You can take Mr. Fortescue's cones, tip them upside down and shake them, and the ice cream still won't fall off. Very thoughtful of him if you ask me."  
  
What's this?, Harry wondered, Hermione having a civilized conversation with Dudley. Harry thought she would be more likely to attack him and beat the snot out of him. Could his life possibly get any stranger?  
  
"Harry, how am I going to eat all this?", it suddenly dawned on Dudley just how big his sundae was. "I've eaten some monster size ice cream treats, but nothing like this. Each of these balls is about like four or five normal scoops of ice cream; plus everything else. I never thought I would say it, but I'll be so full they'll have to carry me out of here on a stretcher. What am I going to do?" Dudley was heart broken at the thought of having the most heavenly ice cream on earth and not being able to eat it all. For someone like Dudley, to leave heavenly ice cream uneaten, that was an unpardonable sin, Harry had planned ahead and already had Dudley's problem solved. "Dudley, I had Mr. Fortescue conjure some of your ice cream. I swear Dudley, an hour after we leave here, you'll be hungry again."  
  
"Conjure? Conjure?" Uncle Vernon asked.  
  
Harry continued. "Only four of those balls of ice cream are real. Those are the four that Dudley will actually eat, the other eight have been conjured." The puzzled look on Uncle Vernon's face told Harry, he still didn't get it. "Think about a magician on the telly, when a magician makes something appear, that's conjuring; to make something suddenly appear."  
  
Hermione thought she better take over the explanation or they would be here all day. "Conjuring is when you make something out of nothing. For example, I could conjure up a diamond the size of a golf ball and it would be a real diamond. But when you create something from nothing, it's not permanent, it eventually returns to nothing. So what Harry's saying, is that in about an hour eight of those ice cream balls are going to vanish. They were made from nothing, in an hour, they return to nothing."  
  
Harry grinned at Dudley, he was sure Dudley would appreciate the beauty of this. "Dudley, do you get it? You get to eat all twelve, but when your done, it will only be four. You'll only be as full as eating four, and best of all, you only get the calories from four. Think about it Dudley, twelve giant balls of ice cream that only have the calories of four. Pretty cool don't you think? By the way, everything else real; the brownies and all the rest; only eight balls of ice cream are conjured."  
  
Dudley frowned, more puzzled that disappointed. "You mean, it's not real? It's not real ice cream?"  
  
"No, it is real. While it exists, it is real ice cream. Come on Dudley, there's no way you can tell me which ones are real and which ones have been conjured, because while they exist, they are all real." Dudley was speechless. It was obvious to Harry that he got it, but he was just too stunned to react. This made the ice cream even more heavenly than Dudley could have ever dreamed.  
  
Harry became excited as he though of all the other cool things Dudley would enjoy hearing about. "Hermione.... Hermione.... should I tell him about Frizzing Wizzbees? Hey Dudley, there this sweets shop near school, Honeydukes. Well... well... Mr. Fortescue make the world's best ice cream, but Honeydukes makes the world best chocolate. Well, not just chocolate but all kinds of sweets, but certainly the best chocolate. Wait... Wait..... Dudley, you're going to love this. There are certain ailments in the wizard world, serious ailment, can't give you the details, but the treatment, the medicine for this is chocolate, milk chocolate. I was in the hospital several times with this problem, and my medicine was to eat this huge block of chocolate. And they stood over me and watched to make sure I ate every last bit of it. Dudley, don't you just love it; chocolate for medicine."  
  
"Wait.... wait.... What was I talking about? Oh, I know.... So anyway Dudley, imagine an ice cream sherbet that is so heavenly, so divine that taking one bite has you floating on air. There really is a sherbet that will do that; it's Frizzing Wizzbees, and it is divine, truly divine. One bite and you are literally floating on air. Dudley, I'm not kidding, when you take a bite of sherbet, you start to float. Honest, ask Hermione. It's so funny to go down to the village and see half a dozen kids come floating out of the sweets shop."  
  
"Dudley..... I know.... I'll bring you some chocolate from Honeydukes; I will. Dudley, you've never had chocolate; just like, I'm sure you'll agree having tasted Fortescue's ice cream, that you've never had ice cream before. Fortescue's is so good, it make regular ice cream taste like... like.... porridge. Well, Honeyduke's chocolate is the same way; compared to Honeyduke's chocolate, regular chocolate is about like eating candle wax. I'll get you a big block, it doesn't cost very much. I know just the chocolate; raspberry white chocolate. This is white chocolate that will almost bring a tear to your eye with raspberry swirled through it. You can have something else if you want, but I really recommend this. Trust me Dudley, you won't be sorry. Really Dudley, I'll get you a block of chocolate as big as a book. Dudley.....? Dudley......?"  
  
While Harry was telling Dudley about Honeydukes, Dudley rested his elbows on the table, and folded his hand in front of his face. Harry just assumed he was taking a break from his ice cream. But he seem awfully still and quiet. Then when he heard Dudley sniff, Harry knew something was wrong. It wasn't a good sniff, it was loud and wet, the kind that always has some pain behind it.  
  
Dudley spoke softly, his head hanging low, his hands still blocking his face. "What are you doing this?"  
  
Harry was a little puzzled by the question. "Well, it's not like I volunteered to be here, but now that we are here, things seem to be going well. Everyone is enjoying their ice cream I trust. You have to admit Dudley, it's been a pretty interesting day."  
  
"No..... Why are you doing this? Why are you being nice to me? You didn't have to make this giant sundae for me. You could have just given me one scoop. That would certainly be more than we ever gave you. And you enchanted some of the ice cream, or whatever that magic thing was, you did that for me; something special for me. After all the things I've done to you, the only ice cream you should have bought me was poison ice cream. I was mean Harry, I know I was mean to you; really mean. We've all been mean to you, and in return, you do something very special for each of us; something nice. I don't understand it. You should want to kill me."  
  
Dudley was right, and Harry knew it. There were times when he did have murderous thoughts about Dudley. So, why was he nice to them? He was nice because he had a problem, a very big problem. "It's simple Dudley, I'm cursed. My curse is that, I'm a nice guy. I can't help it; that's just the way it is; I'm a nice guy. I get myself into a lot of trouble, and I've nearly been killed several times. Why? Because I'm I nice guy, and I try to do the right thing. The right thing isn't always easy or safe, but it is always the right thing to do. So, why am I nice to you? Because it's the right thing to do. It's the honorable thing to do. I'm a nice guy Dudley. I always have been. You just never took the time to notice."  
  
Dudley lowered his hand and looked Harry in the eye. "Well, you shouldn't; you shouldn't be nice, at least not to me. You should have poisoned my ice cream. You should have let the guy curse me. You should leave me here and let the..... let the.... let... What kind of monsters could get me here?"  
  
"Werewolves; they're pretty scary." Harry mumbled with a mouth full of ice cream. "We know a werewolf; nice guy."  
  
"Ok, then; ...you should just leave me here and let the werewolves get me..... You do not! You don't know a werewolf; you're just making fun of me."  
  
"Hermione, do we or don't we know a werewolf?" Harry pointed toward Hermione.  
  
"Professor Lupin", Hermione nodded her head assuredly, "He help prove that Sirius......" She suddenly realize that was not a particularly good road to go down. "He was one of our teachers. I was the one who figured it out you know. Harry and Ron were to busy being BOYS, to be bothered noticing a werewolf standing right next to them. He was pretty nice though."  
  
Dudley looked between Harry and Hermione trying to decide if they were serious or teasing. "You do not..... do you?"  
  
"Dudley, we do too. Now shut up and eat your ice cream." Harry began turning Dudley's bowl looking at the different flavors. "Focus Dudley, you've got the world best ice cream waiting to be eaten, and you're chattering on about werewolves. Dudley, how did you like this one; strawberry peanut butter. Pretty good, huh?"  
  
Dudley saw what Harry was doing; skillfully changing the subject. Maybe it was time to move on, but he still couldn't understand why Harry would be nice. "I'm sorry Harry. I won't do it again. I promise." Now Dudley was ready for ice cream again. "Yeah, that one was great. It sounds strange but think about it; peanut butter and jam sandwich; peanut butter and strawberry jam. That's a great combination, and it certainly makes great ice cream. Dad... Dad... you have to try the coconut cream pie flavor." Dudley slid his plate of ice cream to the center of the table. "Please Dad, you have to try it. Think about it, pie and ice cream together; two deserts in one. It's perfect. The man's a genius"  
  
OK, now there was a first. Well, actually two firsts. The first time Dudley every gave away any food, and the first time he ever begged anyone to take it.  
  
"Mum.... Mum.... try the marshmallow; the marshmallow is good, but it the caramel around the outside that have to taste. Please Mum, I swear you'll never regret it."  
  
"One moment Mr. Potter", with a very serious look, Uncle Vernon interrupted Dudley's ice cream give away. "What's done is done; time never turns backwards."  
  
Well, Harry could argue about time turning backwards, but he didn't think this was a good time.  
  
"I can't change what I've done, but I can change what I do; I can change the future. I promise you this Harry, in the future, I..... we will do things differently. We will do things better." Uncle Vernon's eyes lock sternly on Dudley. "The first thing we are going to do when we get home ...Dudley... is clean all your junk out of Harry's room. I swear there's hardly room to walk in there." Uncle Vernon turned his attention back to Harry. "All I can say is, I'm sorry, and I promise to do better." The sincere look on Uncle Vernon's face told Harry he was serious; very serious. "Coconut cream pie you say, that does sound interesting."  
  
"Dudley, can I try this one?" Sensing that the mood had turned, Hermione slid her chair over and turned her attention back to ice cream.  
  
"Good choice", Dudley said point his spoon at Hermione's selection. "I call that one 'box of chocolates'. You know the square candies inside a box of chocolates? Well, this is chocolate ice cream with cherries, ....dark cherries, chocolate fudge swirl, and miniature chocolate candies. It's great; go ahead and try it."  
  
"Is that raspberry swirl?" Harry asked, pointing to one of the ice creams.  
  
Dudley tilted his head back to keep his ice cream from falling out of his mouth while he spoke. "No, it's cherry swirl; fantastic. If you want raspberry, try this one; chocolate with raspberries. No raspberry swirl, just chocolate ice cream with whole black raspberries and nuts in it. Go ahead, try it Harry; try them both."  
  
"Everyone, budge up so Mr. and Mrs. Granger can sit at this table with us." Dudley looked over at Hermione's parents. "Please, sit over here. When else are you going to get a chance to try twelve fantastic flavors at once. Wish this table were bigger." With that wish, the table began to vibrate, turn from square to round, and enlarge so it was big enough for everyone. Dudley didn't seem the least bit shocked, the just smile, turned and waved to Mr. Fortescue. "I need a glass of water too." A glass of ice water appeared. "...and some more napkins." Sure enough, napkins appeared. Dudley grinned, turn back to Mr. Fortescue and waved, then pointed his fat finger at Mr. Fortescue. "You're a genius, really, a genius. Mum, remember to send him a Christmas card."  
  
"So which one is your favorite?", Harry asked as he sample the chocolate raspberry.  
  
"I knew you were going to ask that. That's down right mean. That's like asking me which do I like better, air or breathing. It's impossible to choose. But.... there are a couple here that are beyond fantastic. Of course, the caramel pecan is great, but this caramel pecan also has miniature chocolate covered caramels in it. Mrs. Granger, please try this one; you'll love it. Now this one....." Dudley pointed to another ice cream ball. "This one is unbelievable. I has so much stuff in it, I don't see how he found room for ice cream. Peanut butter, not the strawberry peanut butter, which was really good by the way, but this one.... peanut butter ice cream, with peanuts and chocolate covered peanuts, and.... Harry... it's got peanut butter cookie dough in it... look... peanut butter cookie dough!... and shaved chocolate.... not just chocolate bits but shaved chocolate, and finally, butter fudge swirl. It's butter fudge, not just fudge, butter fudge. The man is a genius; they should make him a saint. Guys have some of my brownies; they're huge. Mr. and Mrs. Granger please try one of these." Dudley held up the brownie, pointing at the layers inside. "Look brownie, fudge, brownie. He's combined fudge and brownies into one. Can't imagine how he got the fudge in the middle. The man really is a genius."  
  
Well, what started as a nightmare had turned into a pleasant afternoon. They had fourteen flavors of ice cream, if you count the chocolate with chocolate bits and the butterscotch, monster size brownie-fudge bars, assorted cookies, mountains of whipped cream, and a lot of fun eating them all. A lot of fun eating them all together. Once Dudley quit being a jerk, he was actually a pretty funny guy. Even Hermione, as much as she tried not too, took a liking to him.  
  
Soon the ice cream was gone and everyone sat back fat and lazy. Eventually, it was time to go. A very hard choice to make when everyone was too full of ice cream to even move. But they forced themselves to their feet, everyone said their good byes, Dudley pointed to Mr. Fortescue again and assured him, he truly was a genius. Harry gave Hermione a hug before she and her parent went to the bank to finish their business. Harry and the Dursleys, slowly, which was about as fast as they could manage, walked back to the Leaky Cauldron. As they passed through, they all bid Tom goodbye and thank him for the invitation. As Harry walked by Tom, he noticed, Tom still had that very sly 'I know something you don't know' smile on his face. Most unusual, Harry thought. There was definitely something strange going on. But then in Harry's life, the strange and even the very strange were pretty much normal occurrences. Besides he was just too full of ice cream to even think about it.  
  
The day the world should have ended, turned into the day that Dudley loved him and fought at his side, and that Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia changed from intolerable ogres to butterscotch lovesick teenagers. Yes, without a doubt, total unreasonable incomprehensible insanity was just another normal day in the life of Harry Potter.  
  
....fade to black.  
  
End Part 2 - Chapter 4  
see Epilog 


	6. Respect - Part 2 - Epilog

Title: Respect - Part 2  
Author: BBoy_mn  
E-mail: ----  
Disclaimers:   
All characters, terms, names, trademarks, and settings, whether implied or stated, are the sole property of J.K. Rowlings with distribution and marketing rights held by Warner Brothers, and Scholastic, Inc publishing.  
  
Spoilers: Part 2 has some references to the Chess game in Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone.  
  
Date: 7/21/2002  
Summary: Part 1 -A chance meeting in a department store plants the seed for the Durley's gaining respect for Harry.  
Part 2 - As a result of the meeting in the department store, the Dursley finally come face to face with the wizard world. It is a sweet treat indeed.  
  
Warnings: None - probably not ideal for children under 12. Subtly and delicately mentions French kissing and uses the word 'hell' a couple of times.  
  
Notes:   
Part 1 - I envision that there will be a time when the Dursley will have to give Harry some respect. This is just one scenario that could plant the seed for that to happen.   
Part 2 - Plus, I think another funny story, would be the Dursley's visiting the Leaky Cauldron.   
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  
  
  
  
Part 1 - EPILOG:  
  
Six weeks later, on the first day of school, Harry and Ron were on their way back from breakfast. Harry was starting to regret having mentioned the Dursleys trip to Diagon Alley to Ron.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Yeeeesss!"  
  
"No way!"  
  
"Ron! Will you stop doing that? I told you, if you don't believe me, ask Hermione; she was there with her parents." It was turning into a struggle trying to convince Ron that his Dursleys ice cream nightmare had really happened."  
  
"You took the Dursley's to Diagon Alley for ice cream. Were you insane at the time?" Ron, just couldn't, not in his wildest imagination, picture the Dursleys at Diagon Alley.  
  
"Ron! What was I suppose to do?" Harry demanded. How stupid did people think he was? If he could have thought of a way out of it, he would have used it. "What was I suppose to do? Curse them? Beat them up? Run away from home? Exactly, what was I suppose to do? Besides, Tom invited them for butterbeer. If anyone is to blame, it's him."  
  
"Sorry Harry, but Dursley with wizards; it's just to hard to imagine." Ron look a little stunned as his brain tried to process what he was hearing. He believed Harry, but at the same time, it was all too unbelievable.  
  
"Ask Draco" Harry added, "he was there."  
  
"WHAT! You had ice cream with Draco AND the Dursleys!" Now that was a thought that Ron's mind absolutely refused to accept. "You must have been insane."  
  
Harry stopped walking, squeezed his eye shut tight, and shook his head. This was turning into another nightmare. "No! I didn't have ice cream with Draco. He just came over to be his obnoxious self until some wizard came along and hit him on the head." Harry turned and continued walking down the hall.  
  
OK, this was getting more confusing by the second. Ron wondered if maybe this wasn't one of Harry's sleeping nightmare. I certainly sounded like a nightmare. "The wizard hit him on the head?" Ron asked, as he hurried to catch up with Harry.  
  
"And Dudley punch him in the gut." Harry added, although he wasn't sure why he was encouraging Ron to continue this conversation.  
  
"Dudley punched the wizard?", This was just too strange. Ron was sure this had to be a sleeping nightmare; real life could never be this weird.  
  
"No! Dudley punched Draco in the gut. Ask Draco if you don't believe me."  
  
"Good morning boys." Professor Dumbledore suddenly appeared in the hallway in front of them. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, did you enjoy your summer holiday?"  
  
"Yes sir." Ron and Harry mumbled together.  
  
"All ready for a new school term then?"  
  
"Yes sir." Ron and Harry muttered together, although they were less than convincing.  
  
"So Mr. Potter, how was your summer? Anything interesting happen?" Dumbledore asked, sounding as if he already knew the answer.  
  
"No sir", Harry answered. Ron was just about to say something about Harry's interesting summer, but before he could get a sound out, Harry elbowed him in the ribs.  
  
Dumbledore decided to take a more direct approach. "So, how did the Dursleys like Diagon Alley?"  
  
"You know?" Harry was stunned. He didn't want anyone finding out about this. He was sure he must have broken a dozen laws by bringing them there. "You know? How could you possibly know?"  
  
"Well, of course I know, my dear boy, who do you think set it up?" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he smiled at Harry.  
  
"WHAT!" Harry felt like someone hit him in the face with a brick. Dumbledore's revelation almost knocked him over backwards. Now Harry was furious. "Are you insane? Don't I already have enough nightmares in my life? Voldemort trying to kill me, Dursley making my life miserable, Draco's driving me nuts, and now YOU are going around manufacturing more nightmare for me. I can't sleep the way it is. I don't need my friends creating more nightmares. Why don't you just kill me and get it over with?"  
  
"A bit bold aren't you Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked in a very disapproving tone.  
  
"NO! No! If I was a bit bold, I'd pull out my wand and curse you for doing this to me. It was a nightmare. I'm surprised I don't have an ulcer. I don't need people manufacturing more misery for me."   
  
"Ah Harry, maybe ..aahh..." Ron was going to try and calm Harry down before he got them both kick out of school. Threatening the head master is usually not a wise thing to do. But before he could finish, Harry elbowed him again.  
  
"So, tell me Mr. Potter", Dumbledore continued, as if he took no notice of Harry's anger. "How have things been on Privet Drive, since your visit to the ice cream shop?"  
  
"OK, they're better, but that doesn't change the fact that it was a nightmare when it was happening." The last thing Harry needed was more nightmares.  
  
"So how are they better? Do they treat you better?" Dumbledore inquired in a very confident tone.  
  
"Yes"   
  
"Food, how's the food?"  
  
"I just eat whatever they're having."  
  
"Living conditions, any changes?"  
  
"Well, Dudley cleaned all of his old junk out of my room." Harry could see where this was going and he didn't like it.  
  
"And?"  
  
"They bought me a new bed."  
  
"And?"  
  
"A new rug for my bedroom."  
  
"And?"  
  
"Some new clothes."  
  
Dumbledore tilted his head to the side and looked down at Harry's feet. "Aaaand?"  
  
"New shoes! But it was still a nightmare!"  
  
"How about work? Do they still work you hard?"  
  
"Well, yes, but I don't mind the work. It helps take my mind off all the other misery in my life." Harry was still very defiant. "Although, Dudley helps me now."  
  
Suddenly, Harry broke into a fit of giggles. "One time, Dudley and I were pulling weeds out of the garden and Dudley got this one weed that was really stubborn. Dudley tugged and tugged until the weed broke lose and Dudley went flying over backwards, and fat Dudley did the most perfect backward somersault, and landed flat on his stomach."   
  
Harry was laughing so hard, he could barely get the words out. Laughing so hard, he thought he was going to fall over. "It was hilarious. Then when Dudley looked up his whole face was covered with dirt; completely black face. Dudley and I fell down in the garden and laugh hysterically. We laugh so hard we made ourselves sick. I laugh until I almost peed my pants. When he went over, it was so perfect, so effortless, I just couldn't help myself; it was hysterical."  
  
"...uummmmm.... Sounds like a pretty harsh life there on Privet Drive; very harsh indeed."  
  
The grin dropped from Harry's face very fast. "All right! So it's better now, but it was still a nightmare when it happened. I was scared to death. I didn't know what to do. I came so close to cursing the Dursleys so many times it's not even funny. I thought the world was going to end. I thought Uncle Vernon would get in there with all those wizards and lose his temper, and it would turn into a war zone. I thought people could get killed! It was a nightmare!"  
  
"Not to worry Mr. Potter, we had people watching the whole time in case anything got out of hand. The only thing we hadn't counted on was Draco. That sort of caught us by surprise, but I think we handled it nicely."  
  
Harry was suddenly distractd from his anger as he thought about the incident. "I knew it, I knew it." Harry knew there was something unusually about that wizard the minute he saw him. "That wizard in the red robes was an Auror wasn't he? I knew it the minute I saw the scars on his face. He was wasn't he?"  
  
"Yes indeed Mr. Potter, just hit Draco with an apathy charm, so he would lose interest in whatever he was doing and follow the first distraction. I thought it worked quite well."  
  
Harry remembered that, besides his scars, the wizard who hit Draco stood out because of his beautiful dark red robes. "Ron you should have seen this guy's robes. The deepest darkest red you every saw. They would have looked great on you."  
  
"Well, if you ask him nicely, I'm sure he'll show them to you."  
  
"What do you mean, ask him?" Harry could see how he could possibly find this wizard and ask him anything.  
  
"Nathan; Nathaniel Hawthorne, our new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher. Very nice man, I'm sure he'll show you the robes. And now that you mention it, Mr. Weasley would look quite striking in that color. Well, I must be off. Have a good term."  
  
Harry wasn't quite finished, as Dumbledore turned to walk away, Harry had a few last words. "It was still a nightmare. I should have had an ulcer."   
  
Too late, Dumbledore was gone, although Harry kept mumbling even after he was gone. "My stomach hurt for two days."  
  
"...aahhh.... Harry, that stomachache might have had something to do with eating five pounds of ice cream." Ron was just trying to keep things in perspective.  
  
"Shut up Ron!" Harry turn on his heels and walked down the hallway, muttering as he went. "....and some guy wants your autograph."  
  
Ron stood watching Harry walk away. This had been a very confusing morning. On top of everything else, now some guy wants his... "Autograph?.... Harry wait..... Harry.... stop!" Ron ran up to Harry. "What do you mean, some guy wants my autograph. Why would he want my autograph?"  
  
Harry was pretty much at his limit of frustration and his nerves were getting a little raw. "Because you're a hero Ron. Didn't it ever occur to you that after everything you've done, all the times you've risked your life, after all the times you saved my life, that somebody out there might think you were a hero."  
  
"But what did I do? Why does this guy think I'm a hero?" Ron was still bewildered by the idea of someone wanting his autograph.  
  
"Ron, I'm a hero to the general wizard world, but to people who play chess, you're practically a saint. You played the chess game that saved the world. You play the most noble and heroic game of chess in the entire history of the world. And you sacrifices yourself to win. What could be more heroic than that?" Harry began poking Ron in the chest as he spoke. "Why shouldn't you be a hero, Ron? That's the question you should be asking yourself. After everything you've done, why shouldn't you be a hero?"  
  
Harry turned and walked away from Ron again, muttering as he went. "Some guy is going to send you a owl post in two weeks. Just write him a nice letter and sign it, and it will all be over with." Harry rounded a corner, turning down another hallway.   
  
Ron stood bewildered as Harry voice trailed off. Harry took the Dursleys to Diagon Alley, some guy wants Ron autograph; the year was off to a bad start. It was only the first day, and already nothing made sense. "....an autograph! ... .Harry! ...wait ... wait for me..... Harry.... an autograph, are you sure?.... Harry! ....Harry?"  
  
....and so ends the tale of how Harry finally got some respect.  
  
....and Ron gets a bit of well deserved respect too.  
  
END. 


End file.
